Athletes
Nathaniel Wood | Don't Underestimate 'The Last Kingsman'
English Featherweight Says He's Been Underrated For Too Long And Plans To Elevate His Stock With A Big Win At UFC 321: Aspinall vs Gane
Nathaniel Wood has arrived in Abu Dhabi for UFC 321 with a new nickname, fresh motivation, and a huge chip on his shoulder.
Wood is 12 fights into his UFC career – a fact that has prompted him to switch up his fighting moniker from "The Prospect" to "The Last Kingsman".
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"Obviously, I couldn't be a prospect forever. I knew it had to change eventually," he explained.
"I haven't got years (left) in this game, because at the end of the day, I don't want to go on till I'm 40 years old. I do want to retire on a high, so I thought, if I'm going to change my name, it's got to be now. So, yeah, my debut as 'The Last Kingsman'.
"Everyone had always said that I remind them of the Kingsman from the film, because I had the pictures with the suits. And I don't look like a fighter, you know? I look very timid. I don't talk like a fighter. I've got a high-pitched voice. And, yeah, I just thought 'The Kingsman' sounded a bit too common of the film. So I thought we'll put 'The Last Kingsman.' I'm the last one. We now have a king in England, so it was kind of the right time to make that change."
Wood may have shed his "prospect" tag, but on Saturday at UFC 321, he's facing one of the brightest new prospects in the featherweight division. Since earning a contract on Dana White's Contender Series, Jose Delgado has impressed in his two UFC performances, winning both bouts via first-round knockout.
In the opinion of the oddsmakers, those two knockouts have outweighed Wood's 9-3 UFC resumé, which includes a 5-1 run at featherweight, with the Englishman set as the betting underdog for his bout this weekend.
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Being the underdog is nothing new for Wood, who was in the same spot ahead of his last outing, against Morgan Charriere. Wood saw the odds, laughed at them, then went out and delivered one of the most impressive performances of his career.
"I know how good my skill set is. And even though the bookies had me as the underdog, I was sitting there thinking, 'Mate, I'm the favorite for this! What are you talking about?!'
"On fight night, I think I made the performance look quite easy. I didn't get the finish, but I got the win. And sometimes, that Octagon time, it shows my skill set. And, yeah, it's just kind of how I saw the fight going.
"I'm the underdog now, as well, apparently. I'm like, 'I dunno what's going on!'"
While Wood said he uses the underdog tag to help fuel his performances inside the Octagon, he admitted that he doesn't feel like his talents have been fully recognized on the big stage.
READ: Get Ready For UFC 321 With Our Preview Of Every Fight On The Card
When asked if he feels like there should be more buzz around his fights, Wood admitted, "I do, if I'm honest.
"I've been in the UFC for seven years, I think ... 12 fights in UFC, 9-3, with two of those losses being a little bit controversial/very close.
"I do feel like I've had a lot of stuff happening in life outside. I've had two daughters since, I've had injuries, I've had a daughter that had health issues, so I’ve had a lot of obstacles in the way of competing constantly. Obviously, you want to be active, you need to get fights under your belt.
"I don't know if it's maybe because I don't talk as brash as other people, maybe (it's) because I'm English, I don't know, but yeah, I definitely feel like I'm undervalued and underrated.
"But it is what it is, you know? At the end of the day, I'm here to fight. I'm here to do my job. As for everything else that happens – getting ranked, getting the right cameras on me – if it comes, it comes, and if it doesn't, you know, I'm here to fight, and that's what I'll do, regardless."
Facing Delgado this weekend, Wood is going up against a fighter whose two UFC wins have garnered him plenty of buzz and attention. Wood has taken notice of his opponent's impressive start to life in the UFC, but he said that, on closer inspection, he sees a fighter who he doesn't feel is on his level.
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"His two UFC fights – amazing. (They) obviously went really well for him (but) sorry, the guys he's fighting aren't me," he said.
"Obviously, he's won the last fight against Hyder Amil in 30 seconds. Thirty seconds doesn't show us anything. Could it have been a complete fluke? Could it have been a mistake that Hyder Amil made? But, if I'm honest, the fights I've seen prior to the UFC, which were only about a year ago, I wasn't impressed.
"I watched a few three-rounders that, the guys he's fighting, they're not me, you know? I've been in there with what I would consider better opponents. I am the toughest fight that he's got.
"I'm not looking past him. I've trained like he's the number-one contender. I've trained like I'm fighting for the belt, just to make sure that I don't come unstuck. But, yeah, I'm hoping that it's going to be an easy night in the office for me."
The matchup will see Wood concede significant height and reach advantages to his opponent. But the former Cage Warriors bantamweight champion said that he holds the most crucial advantage – speed.
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"Moving up a weight, you're always at a disadvantage in the weight category," he explained.
"My opponent's obviously going to be heavier. He's taller, but he's not going to be faster, and that's something that I use to my advantage. Of course, at the end of the day, there's pros and cons with both. Yes, he's a bit heavier, but he's going to be slower, so I intend on using my speed against him.
"My whole fight camp, I've been able to eat, replenish (and) train like a normal human being, while he's worrying about cutting weight. I still have to cut weight, of course, but not to what it was at bantamweight.
"So, I definitely feel the proof's in the pudding. I think I've fought seven times in total at featherweight, and I've only lost once. So, yeah, you know, I think I definitely fight better at 145."
It feels like Wood is just heading into his athletic prime, and he said his best performances are just around the corner, starting Saturday night in Abu Dhabi.
WATCH: UFC 321 Pre-Fight Press Conference Highlights
"Expect the same Nathaniel Wood you always see," he said.
"I'm going to look a little bit more to finish this fight. I know people are giving me a lot of stick for not finishing the last few, so yeah, I'm going to push for the finish a little bit more.
"But it's the same Nathaniel Wood you always see, just more in my prime."
UFC 321: Aspinall vs Gane took place live from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on October 25, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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